Chapter 8

Somehow, although it was clearly out of gratitude for inviting Zhou Yichuan to dinner, Xu Zhihuan inexplicably had the illusion that “they were like on a date.”

Zhou Yichuan only took care of her throughout the whole process of deciding what she liked and didn’t like to eat. Shouldn’t it be the other way around?

Xu Zhihuan was puzzled and ate in silence, wanting to quickly end this strange dinner.

“Are you hungry?”

A deep, magnetic voice came, and Xu Zhihuan shook his head, “I’m not hungry.”

“Then you want to finish eating quickly so you can stay away from me.”

Xu Zhihuan was suddenly choked by the fact that his true intention was guessed.

“Cough cough” she coughed and couldn’t breathe for a while. Zhou Yichuan patted her back with his big hand and poured a glass of warm water with his other hand to help her breathe.

Xu Zhihuan paused before saying, “No…”

Zhou Yichuan looked at the little woman’s drooping eyebrows. It was obvious that she had guessed correctly, but she had to stubbornly say no. He couldn’t help but twitched his thin lips and said, “Okay, I believe you.”

Xu Zhihuan: “…”

When he finished eating and paid the bill, Xu Zhihuan breathed a sigh of relief. He had finally finished eating.

As soon as she took out the money, Zhou Yichuan paid first.

“Brother Yichuan, we agreed that it would be my treat.”

Xu Zhihuan was slightly stunned.

“Consider it your treat,” Zhou Yichuan said after paying the bill. He looked at Xu Zhihuan, who was still standing there in a daze, and raised an eyebrow. “What’s wrong? Are you not full?”

Xu Zhihuan trotted over and followed, “I’m full, Brother Yichuan. You must have a lot of things to deal with in the military area, so you don’t have to take me back. It’s not too far from my home, so I can just walk back to help digest the food.”

“Get in the car.” Zhou Yichuan didn’t give Xu Zhihuan any “chance” at all. He opened the car door and motioned Xu Zhihuan to get in.

Xu Zhihuan: “…” Okay~ She didn’t dare to say a single “no” in front of Zhou Yichuan and got in the car obediently.

The car was unusually quiet. Fortunately, the journey was not far, and they arrived safely at the doorstep. Xu Zhihuan quickly opened the door and said goodbye to Zhou Yichuan. “Brother Yichuan, I’m home. Please drive carefully.”

After saying that, Xu Zhihuan turned and went into the house. Zhou Yichuan chuckled. Was he so uncomfortable with him?

Zhou Yichuan seemed to have thought of something, and his eyes darkened a little. The problem must be solved from the root.

…

A few days after Yuan Qing’an and Xu Zhihuan broke off their engagement, Li Rou took the initiative to find Yuan Qing’an to return the family heirloom jade Buddha.

Inside the guesthouse, Yuan Qing’an looked at the woman in front of him who had obviously lost a lot of weight. He felt a sharp pain in his heart. He opened his mouth several times but didn’t know what to say.

“Qing’an, let’s not meet again in the future.” Li Rou said, tears welling in her eyes and her voice choked with sobs. “I have a family and children now. It’s not appropriate for us to meet again. I understand your feelings, and that’s enough. If you want to blame someone, just blame it on the fact that we are not destined to be together.”

Yuan Qing’an eagerly took a step forward and tried to hug Li Rou, but the latter quickly stepped back to make way. The man’s reach was empty, his eyes filled with disappointment, “Xiao Rou, can’t I even hug you?”

“Forget it…” Li Rou shook her head, “I’m afraid that this will make it even harder for me to forget you.”

Yuan Qing’an saw that Li Rou didn’t dislike him, but couldn’t let go of her love for him. He excitedly reached out and hugged Li Rou, “If you can’t forget, then you can’t forget. I have already broken off the engagement with Xu Zhihuan. As long as you can divorce, we can still be together.”

Li Rou reluctantly shook her head again, “I have a child, I can’t bear to leave my child.”

“It’s okay. I will treat your son as my own!” Yuan Qing’an gently pushed Li Rou away, holding her shoulders with both hands, and said firmly, “Xiao Rou, life is still long. Of course, you should spend the rest of your life with the person you love. You like me, and I like you too. I can solve any problem.”

Hearing this, Li Rou’s eyes were obviously a little panicked. “No, this will ruin you. People are saying that it was me who caused the two of you to break off your engagement. I don’t care, of course, but have you ever thought about it? If this matter gets to the military district, what will happen to your future?”

Yuan Qing’an calmed down after hearing what Li Rou said. He had finally become a company commander, but now he had no future in the military district, which meant that his life was ruined!

But Li Rou…

Career or love?

Yuan Qing’an found it difficult to make a decision.

Li Rou continued, “Baoshun has been at odds with me because of all the gossip that’s been circulating outside. My life in the Zhao family is not easy, but I can’t hurt you anymore. Qing’an, let’s just accept our fate!”

It was Xu Zhihuan who made the matter known to everyone, which implicated Li Rou.

Yuan Qing’an dropped his arms helplessly. “I understand your difficulties. It’s my fault. I don’t have the ability to protect you well. Xiaorou, please wait a little longer. When I am able to protect you, I will marry you.”

Li Rou couldn’t stop her tears from flowing out, “I believe you~”

The two of them talked to each other in the guesthouse. Yuan Qing’an left first and returned to the military family compound, and Li Rou returned at night.

As soon as Yuan Qing’an entered the house, he felt annoyed when he saw the empty house. How could this be called a home?!

It was Xu Zhihuan who did it again!

Yuan Qing’an clenched his fists and slammed them against the wall. Yuan Heping in the room started coughing violently.

“Ahem, ahem, don’t worry about me. I’m a burden if I’m still alive. I’d rather die than be a burden to you.”

“What nonsense are you talking about? Drink the medicine quickly.” Zhu Guiyun urged him to drink the medicine quickly, and his body would be healed after drinking the medicine!

“…” Good medicine tastes bitter but is good for the disease. Yuan Heping’s medicine is so bitter that it can kill him, but his body hasn’t improved in a day. Instead, his cough has become more severe. It was better in the summer, but it’s like autumn has come, and it’s even more unbearable~

“Mom, if it really doesn’t work, let’s go to the hospital and change doctors next time. The medicines he prescribed are not working at all.” Yuan Qing’an felt that there was something wrong with the doctor and that his medical skills were not very good.

“Alas, we’ve changed so many doctors, and every doctor prescribes the same medicine.” Zhu Guiyun frowned and said, “Xu Zhihuan said last time that she would take us to see a doctor abroad, but you two broke off the engagement, and she doesn’t care about us anymore!”

It’s Xu Zhihuan again.

The person Yuan Qing’an is most reluctant to mention now is Xu Zhihuan.

“Mom, I’ll try to help contact you.”

“Qing’an,” Zhu Guiyun wanted to say something but stopped herself. Then, as if she had thought of something, she stood up and pushed her son out to talk. She deliberately lowered her voice so that Yuan Heping would not hear.

“Have you received your welfare allowance for last month? Your father is out of medicine. Although this medicine is not very effective, it can at least slow down the cough and help you sleep well at night.”

Zhu Guiyun wants money.

“Mom, last month’s salary hasn’t been paid yet.” Yuan Qing’an handed over all his salary to his family every month, and he didn’t have any savings at all. He wondered, “Mom, where is the salary I originally gave you?”

“Where can we get the money? This whole family depends on your salary, which is barely enough for living expenses. And your younger brothers and sisters are all in school, and they have to pay tuition in September, which is dozens of yuan!” Zhu Guiyun muttered to him, then paused, “Son, I know you don’t like Xu Zhihuan, but she is rich. Can you please marry her?”

Everyone was forcing him.

It seems that only by marrying Xu Zhihuan can these current difficulties be solved.

Yuan Qing’an couldn’t even hold on for a few months.

It’s ridiculous to think about it.

“Since our family has no money, how did we live in the past?” Yuan Qing’an wanted to struggle again.

“It’s all Xu Zhihuan’s fault. He sent me all the dowry I bought as soon as we got engaged, so naturally I sold all the old, worn-out furniture we had! I even borrowed some money from people outside, and I was hoping that after you two got married, Xu Zhihuan would pay it back!”